Locomotive stoker



June 16, 1931.

N. M. LOWER LOCOMOTIVE STOKER 'Filed march 1s, 192 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1June 16, 1931. N,`M, LOWER 1,809,903

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed March 13, 1924 :s sheets-sheet 2 fnyezan- Jne16, 1931.

N. M. LOWER LOCOMOTIVE -STQKEIR Filed March 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented June 16, 1931 1 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-"ica NATHAN M. LOWER,F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, .'BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 TEESTANDARD STOKER COMPANY INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., COR- PonATIoN on:oELAwAnE Loi'soiiro'rivn` sroKER Application filed March 13, 1924.Serial No. 693,096.

This invention relates to stokers, and more particularly to stokers` forlocomotivev engines.

' kOne of the objects of the invention is the I provision of new andimproved mechanism for delivering fuel onto the distributor plate infrontv of steam jets for distributing the same within the lirebox, thedifferent parts operating in timed relation.

Another objectief the invention is the -provision of a new and improvedpusher or plunger mechanism for pushing or forcing the elevated fuelonto the distributor plate.

Other objects of thelinvention are the provision of a stokervmechanismthat is simple in construction, efficient in operation, cheap tomanufacture, and one that is not likely to become broken or get out oforder.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear;from the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of alocomotive and its tender showing the invention in position thereon,with parts in section and parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2f2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a slightly modied form of the device;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a still further modiied form of theinvention; j

Fig. 5 isa detail view showing a still further modifed form of thedevice, with parts in section and parts broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the saine with parts in section and partsbroken away.

On theldrawin'gs the reference character 10 desi ates'the iirebox, v11the grates, and 12 the lck head of a locomotive of any usual `or wellknown construction. The back head is provided with an opening 13 which.may be the usual opening through which the hand irin is done, and whichmay be closed by the oors 14. The floor of the cab isshown at 15 andthedeck of the tender is shown at 16.

Since the details ofthe locomotive and its atender constitute no part ofthe present inifgventiom'the same are not shown on the draw- 0 ings andwill not be furtherdescribed.

A fuel conduit 17 is located beneath the deck of the tender in the usualmanner. The

conduit comprises the horizontal section 18 and the upwardly andforwardly extending section 19 which is pivotally connected at its lowerend to the forward end of the section 18 by universal joint 2O as isusual in such constructions. The usection 19'may have its forward endbent upwardly as at 21, an'd has attached thereto the distributor plate22 which is adapted toextend through the door opening 13 of the backhead of the locomotive.

A suitable conveyor 23 is mounted in the conduit 17. The conveyorcomprises the sections 24, 25 and 26 which are connected together bysuitable universal joints. TheV conveyor is preferably in the form of'ascrew which is adapted to be rotated by the engine 27 through the shaft28 and gears 29 in a manner that will presently appear. The conduitsection 19 and the sections 25 and 26.

of the screw conveyor constitute be termed a fuel elevator.

The distributor plate 22 is provided with a whaty may through separateor independent conduits 31 which may be formed in said late. The con'-duits are adapted to be supp ied with steam fromthe steam pipe 32through the .branch pipe 33, headers 34 and individual pipes 35.

' The pipes 35 are each provided with a valve 36 whereby the directionalforce of the' blast from the nozzles 30 may be varied.

A suitable plun er or pusher member 37 1s adapted to be reciprocatedacross the upper mechanism may be provided for this purpose.

- series of nozzles or nozzle openings 30 each of which is adapted to besupplied with steam fAs shown, the plunger 37 is reciprocated by 49. Theshaft 49 is rotated from by the plunger means of the link 42 which hasits upper end pivotally connected to the plunger 37 as at 43. The lowerend of the link 42 is bifurcated and is provided with slots 44 which areadapted to engage pintles 45 rigidly secured to each side of theconveyor conduit 17. The

nlink is also provided with a slot 46 which is adaptedl to en age a pin47 carried by the Wheel 48 whic is adapted to be rotated b chain andsprockets from the countersha the power shaft 50 of the engine 27through the gears 51 and 52. Suitable means are provided for preventingor minimizing the delivery of fuel during the interval in which theplunger is in position across the upper end of the fuel conduit. In theform of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, a system of elliptic gears is employed for operating theconveyor screw substantially intermittently. As shown, an elliptic gear53 is mounted on the countershaft 49 and is adapt ed to mesh with thecorresponding elliptic gear 54 mounted on shaft 55 on which is securedthe bevel gear 56 which is adapted to operate the shaft 28 through thebevel gear 57.

Means are rovided for directing a blast from the nozz es 30 across theledge 58 of the distributor plate 22 durinfr the forward movement of theplun er 37. his may be accom plished by provi ing the valve 59 in thesteam supply or branch pipe 33 with an elongated spring-pressed stem 61which is adapted to engage a cam 62 on the shaft 49 for opening saidvalve. v

The parts are so' constructed and arranged that when the plunger is inthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 the elliptic gears will be insuch position that the conveyorscrewv will be operating at its maximumspeed and the valve 59 will be closed as indicated in this figure.v Whenthe plunger is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 the gearswill have rotated 180the valve 59 will be open, and the conveyor screwwill be rotating at its minimum speed.

In the operation of the device the fuel is delivered into the spaceabove the upper end of the conveyor screw and the same is pushe 37 ontothe ledge 58 of the distributor plate 22 in front of the nozzles 30 fromwhich it is distributed by a blast from said nozzles over the grates ofthe rebox 10. The lire is trimmed by properly manipulating or adjustingthe valves 36 in the pipes 35.

4The form of the device shown in Fig. 3

differs from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in thatthe slot 63 in the link420 is curved. The intermediate portion of the slot is on an arc'described by the pin 47 in moving from the lower to the u per dottedline position shown in Fig. 3. t will beevident that the plunger 37 willbe at rest while the pin is moving the left, the

from the lower to the upper dotted line position. During this time theconveyor screw is delivering fuel into the space above the conveyorconduit. When the plunger 37 starts to move it will move quite rapidlyand complete its cycle in less time than. in the type shown in Figs. 1and 2.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modified form of plunger. In this form of thedevice the operatin link 64 which corresponds to the link 42 of thedevice shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is pivotall connected at its upper end asat 65 to a ro ,66. The rod 66 extends through an opening 67 in the rearend of the fuel receptacle 68. A pusher foot or bar 69 is pivotallymounted on the forward end of said rod and is provided with a shoulder70 to limit its pivotal movement rearwardly. The foot may be moved to aposition in alinement with the rod 66 or to a position at right anglesthereto. lVhen the pusher mechanism is moved forwardly the foot takesthe position shown in full lines and ushes the fuel onto the ledge 58 infront o the nozzles 30 in a Vmanner similar to the plunger 37 of Fig. 1.When the rod 66 is retracted, however, the foot 69 is free to take thedotted line position shown in Fig. 4 and consequently may be easilywithdrawn across the fuel. With this arrangement the conveyor 23 or fueltransfer screw may o rateA continuously and at a constant speed)e as thepivoted foot will permit the retraction of the pusher member across thefuel that has accumulated above the conveyor 23 during the forwardmovement of the foot or pusher member 69.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6', the generalarrangement of the plunger, elevator, distributor plate, etc., is

substantially thesame as that reviously described. ln this form of the(levice the oon. struction of the plunger has been modified to vary therelative delivery of fuel tothe sides of the distributor plate. Asshown, the plunger 71 comprises a frame or support 72 in Awhich theplunger head 73 is ivoted by means of the vertical pivot 4 assingthrough the median portion of sai head. The head 73 is pivoted betweenupper and lower parallel walls of the support, and its ends are providedwith curved skirts 75 which engage corresponding curved surfaces on thesupport for preventing the fuel from escaping past the head'.

By means of this arrangement the amount of fuel delivered to one side ofthe firebox may be varied relatively to the other. If, for instance, itis desired to deliver more fuel to the right side of therebox than tovhead 73 is turned as shown in Fig. 6.v If more fuel is desired on theleft, .than on the right the head is turned toward the left. In otherwords, `the inclination of the head will cause a corresponding increaseor decrease in the amount of fuel delivered er for delivering the fuel,elevated through to one side or the other of the firebox, due to theinclination of the fuel contacting face 7 3,

as will be obvious from an inspection of Suitable means are provided foradjusting the head. irs shown, a lever or handle 76 pivotedvas at 77 tothe head 73 is employed for this purpose. The handle is provided with alug or .pin 78 which is adapted to engage any one of a series of holes'79 in the quadrant 80 carried by said support. A spring 810 holds thehandle 76 depressed for holding the head in adjusted position.

Access may be had to the plunger through the door 8l. IVhen it isdesired to adjust the plunger head73 the door 8l is opened and thehandle 76 raised against thetension of the spring to withdraw the pin78, after which the handle may be moved to adjust the head tothe desiredangle.

If desired the distributor plate 83 may be ,provided with enlargedcurved wings or ledges for directing the fuel laterally.

The operating mechanism including the conveyor 23, link 42, operatingwheel48, conduits 31 and nozzles 30 is. substantially the same as thatpreviously described.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my devicewill be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in size,shape, pr0por tion and details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

`l. In combination, a fuel conduit having one cud extending upwardly, adistributor plate extending forwardly from the upper end of saidconduit, a nozzle between said conduit and the forward end of-saidplate, means for conveying fuel along said conduit, al plunger and meansfor moving said plungsaid conduit, onto said plate in front of saidnozzle. l

2. In combination with the back head of a locomotive having an openingtherrn, a' conduit, a'distributor plate extending from said conduit intosaid opening, a conveyor in said conduit, for delivering fuel adjacentto said opening, means for operating said con-V veyor at variablespeeds, a plunger for forcing said fuel onto said plate, mechanism foroperating said plunger, said means and mechanism being so constructedand arranged that the speed of said conveyor decreases as said plungermoves forwardly and increases as said plunger moves rearwardly.

'3. A plunger for transferring fuel comprising a support, a head pivotedto said support and means for adjusting and securing said head inangularly adjusted position relatively to said support.

et. ln combination, a distributor member,

a plunger for delivering fuel to said member, means for delivering fuelin the path of said plunger and means for adjusting said plunger to varythe delivery of fuel to the sides of said distributor member.

5. In combination, a distributor plate, a plunger in theI rear of saidplate for moving the fuel to the forward portion of said plate, meansfor delivering fuel in the path of said plunger, and means for causingsaid plunger to vary the relative amounts of fuel delivered to the twosides of the forward portion of said plate.

6. In combination, a fuel conduit having one end extending upwardly,'adistributor plate extending 'forwardly from the upper end of saidconduit, a nozzle between said conduit and the forward end of saidplate, mechanical means for conveying fuel along said conduit,mechanical means separate and apart from said lirst named means foradvancing the fuel from said conduit on to said plate in front of saidnozzle and means for operating said first named mechanical means.

7. In combination, a distributor member, mechanical means for deliveringfuel to said member, means separate and apart from. said first namedmeans for delivering fuel into the path thereof and means for adjustingsaid mechanicalnieans to vary the delivery of fuel to the sides of saiddistributor member.

8. In combination, a distributor plate, mechanical means rearward ofsaid plate for advancing fuel to the forward portion of said plate,means separate and apart from and for delivering fuel in the path ofsaid mechanical means, and means for adjusting said mechanical means forcausing said mechanical means to vary the relative amounts iof fueldelivered tothe two sides of the forward portion of said plate.

9. In a stolrer, a distributor member, fuel distributing means forprojecting fuel'forwardly from said member, means for conveying fuelfrom a source of supply and delivering the same onto said distributormember outside of the zone of action of said distributing means, andmechanism for moving said fuel into the zone of action of saiddistributing means whereby the same may be projected forwardly by saiddistributing means.

l0. In a stolrer, a distributor member, distributor means for projectingfuel forwardly from said member, mechanism for intermittently deliveringfuel to said member outside of thel zone of action of said means, pushermechanism for pushing said fuel into the zone of action of said meansand means for actuating said pushermechanism in timed relation to theoperation of said first named mechanism. j v NATHAN MJLOWER.

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